T-SQL Tuesday #141: Work/Life Balance?

Our host for this month’s TSQL Tuesday is TJay Belt (blog|twitter). He’d like us to share our experiences dealing with our own personal journey with Work/Life Balance, either thru experience, or hopeful future goals…

  • What are the cool things have you learned?
  • What things did you try, that simply didn’t work out? 
  • What rules have you implemented that made it easier to balance?
  • What rules made it harder to find that balance?
  • What are tips or tricks can you share to help others?

I have learned that I am awful at work/life balance. In point of fact, I will work and work and work until I burn out. I’ve tried various ways of being better about it, but nothing worked until I discovered my favorite single phrase:

FORCING FUNCTION!!!

For me, if I want to have anything happen at all, I need a forcing function, something that makes me have to do it, not just think it might be a good idea.

Here are some examples of how I implement this in my life:

  • Riding the bus to work. This is a big one. I have to leave at certain times. If I don’t, I’ll stay until late, but if the last bus leaves at 6, no way am I staying longer than that.
  • Kids involvement. Oh, how I love my kids. I will NOT miss one of their activities, so if they are doing it, I have to be there. Nothing gets in the way. Nothing.
  • On my calendar? Nope, doesn’t matter. A person staring me in the face? Oh yeah! I make plans with someone when I absolutely can’t miss it. Working out is so much better with other people. It is one reason I have not been in shape for a couple years.
  • DO NOT WORK FROM HOME! It has to be a building-on-fire emergency for me to work from home

I was actually great about that last point before the pandemic. Now, I have to remember to shower, shave, and brush my teeth before sitting down at the computer in the morning. Get my coffee, too. I both appreciate and dislike that my desk is feet away from my bed.

Nowadays, making dinner is one of my forcing functions. Scouting with the kids is a forcing function. I have training, meetings, and activities to support my kids in, so I have to step away from work.

Find your forcing functions for those moments when you need a prybar to help you get away from work.

Have a great Tuesday!

One comment

  1. I love the idea of having something force you into action. When i want to go home, its way different than something requiring me to go. I am forced in the second scenario, not just by my wanting to leave.
    Love it.

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